The invention relates to a device for use as or as part of material handling apparatus and to such apparatus and particularly concerns such device and apparatus for facilitating moving and securing loads which may be carried for example on pallets for example in a load carrying vehicle.
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a device for use as or as part of mechanical handling apparatus which can support a load both during movement of the load into position and when the load is static, the device comprising an elongate body member, a support (as herein defined) for loads, an inflatable device connected to the support for raising and lowering it, and stop means of the device which is movable between one position in which passage along the device is unimpeded and another position in which passage along the device is prevented or hindered.
The support for loads may comprise it will be understood, and is defined herein to mean, either (a) a support surface for carrying loads which is movable by the inflatable device up and down in relation to the upper boundary surface of rotatable members such as rollers which are mounted in a static mounting of the device, or (b) rotatable members such as rollers which themselves are held in a mounting which is reciprocable by the inflatable device so that the rollers or part thereof move transversely of the plane of a static support surface on which loads are seated when the inflatable device is deflated.
The stop means may be positioned intermediate the length of the body member so that the device is, in the another position of the stop means, formed into sections for supporting a load.
There may be stop means at one or both ends of the device.
The stop means may comprise a plate which rests on the body member in the one position and which in said another position rests in a slot or slots in the body member so that the plate presents an obstruction above the level of the body member and the rollers.
The support may comprise a load bearing plate which has a plurality of discrete openings, there being as many openings as there are rollers and the arrangement of the rollers and the openings being such that each roller is associated with a respective one of the openings.
The clearance of the roller and the boundary of the associated opening is preferably such that the load bearing plate prevents ingress of dirt into the body member.
The body member may include a guide plate which is secured to one of its sides and which extends in the longitudinal direction of the device at a position above the load bearing surface of the load bearing plate.
According to a second aspect, the invention provides a pair of devices as hereinbefore defined comprising mechanical handling apparatus for pallets, the devices being of such a distance apart that each one supports the legs or other supports such as skids along one side of a pallet.
According to a third aspect, there is provided mechanical handling apparatus comprising a device or devices are hereinbefore defined mounted in a vehicle.